Warning: NOT A FRUGAL RECIPE

Spanish Lentils

A few weeks ago I was given a gift card to one of my favorite grocery stores, The Market of Choice. Thank you, ladies! There are some groceries that are actually a better deal at the Market of Choice than other grocery stores (unbleached cone coffee filters, non-store brand 1/2 & 1/2, high-quality bulk goods, Umpqua milk, produce that is on sale, and beer) that I regularly purchase. My philosophy with gift cards is to splurge on things I would never get myself.

Ingredients for Spanish lentils

With my present I purchased a package of Zürsun Pardina Lentils (more about these momentarily), $20 per pound chorizo (my hunky of porky goodness looked like a nub and still cost four bucks), a shallot, some bulk Hungarian paprika, a dozen eggs (on sale that week and would have bought anyway), Napa Valley Naturals oak-aged sherry vinegar, and a gelato. I even have enough money left over to pay for one-half of another gelato!

I am obsessed with Zürsun Idaho heirloom beans. I have shared a recipe using their beluga lentils and I also have eaten and cooked their scarlet runner beans. These beans are a totally different world than any other beans I have tried; you definitely get what you pay for. And the prices at the MoC on these are much less than at a market I visited in Eugene.

The package of Spanish Pardina lentils mentions their "distinctive nutty flavor and creamy  texture" and "ideal for soup". In normal speak, Pardina lentils taste like brown lentils with the texture of Puy or beluga lentils. Pardinas . I love how these lentils look: their skin is lightly speckled, making them look like tiny river rocks.

I have found my new favorite way to cook lentils is to very gently boil them; the water is simmering when I add the lentils. With a few minutes left on the timer, I turn the heat off, letting the pot of water and lentils steam on the warm burner. This has been the way I have been able to cook dried beans in general until tender but not split their skin. Once the beans are the desired doneness, I drain them.

Gourmet chorizo!

I have no idea what Spanish paprika tastes like. I made this recipe twice, using Hungarian paprika the first time and smoked paprika the second time. I preferred the smoked paprika as the Hungarian paprika did not add as much flavor as I would like.

Shallots cooking in chorizo fat. I almost stopped right here.

The sherry vinegar is what brings this dish together makes it truly delicious. The only sherry vinegar I remember tasting was the cheapest stuff possible tucked away in my parents' pantry for who knows how long. I had no idea at how amazing a good sherry vinegar could be. I just needed a couple of splashed to transform an okay dish to delicious. Even Z., who is not fond of vinegar, thought the vinegar was what this dish needed. Enjoy!

Spanish Lentils, Serves 2

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2-3 inch piece of cured chorizo, diced
1 shallot, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup Spanish Padrina lentils
Good-quality sherry vinegar, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes

1. Cook Spanish Padrina lentils according to package directions. When cooked set aside lentils and about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
2. Heat olive oil in a high-sided pan over medium-low to medium heat. Add the chorizo. Stirring occasionally, cook until chorizo is warmed through and has rendered some of its fat. Remove chorizo from pan and set aside.
3. Add shallot to the warm pan. Cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
4. Add grated garlic and cook briefly, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Add smoked parika, lentils, reserved chorizo, and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of reserved cooking liquid. Cook until lentils are warmed through, stirring gently occasionally, about 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of the reserved cooking liquid if needed to keep the lentils moist.
6. Season to taste with kosher salt and red pepper flakes. Garnish with a few dashes of sherry vinegar.